Excerpts below are paraphrased from Rene Wellek's <Concepts of Criticism> (1963):

New Criticism (Formalism): emphasis is on scientific formula for correct interpretation

Reasons for rise of New Criticism:

1.  Dissatisfaction with the impressionistic, romantic, sentimental approach to literature.

2.  Disapproval of the journalistic criticism associated with H.L. Mencken and the American naturalistic novel.

3.  Discomfort with the New Humanist movement because of its rigidly moralistic view of literature.


Principles of New Criticism:

1.  Return to the text itself (especially in poetry) with emphasis on the formal whole of a poem, i.e., its organic unity.  The technique associated with new criticism is close reading (explication) of the text.


2.  Movement away from extrinsic analysis and toward intrinsic analysis.

3.  Goal: creation of an objective theory of art that avoids the intentional fallacy.

4.  Emphasis on close analysis of paradox, irony, and ambiguity in the work of art.


5.  Distinction made between good critic vs. bad critic.


Major formalist (new) critics:

I. A. Richards, William Empson, Cleanth Brooks